Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Everest Pink’

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Everest Pink’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with pale pink ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

RELATED CULTIVARS

‘Everest Pink’ is related to ‘Everest Salmon’ (see copending Ser. No.09/276,693) and ‘Everest White’ (see copending Ser. No. 09/276,633).‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘Everest White’ are mutants from ‘Everest Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Everest Pink’ is a product of a breeding-program which had theobjective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a daisy typeflower, a 6.5-7 week response and a short till medium plant height. Thenew plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivarof Chrysanthemum plant. ‘Everest Pink’ is a seedling from a cross in abreeding program maintained under the control of inventor. The femaleparent is # 90.1402 —unpatented—, an unnamed seedling not available toinventor for description. The male parent is unknown, being a mixedpollation of a group of male parents. The new and distinct cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse)in Rijsenhout Holland in May 1995. The first act of asexual reproductionof ‘Everest Pink’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were takenfrom the initial selection in July 1995 in a controlled environment inRijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemumbearing medium sized blooms with pale pink ray-florets and yellow-greendisc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationDendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in aphoto-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used incommercial practice. The photo-periodic response time in this crop was48 days after an average of eight long days. After this long day periodto flowering growth retardants were applied 6 times in an average doseof 1.5 gram/liter water. This new variety produces medium sized bloomswith pale pink ray-florets and yellow-green disc-florets blooming on theplant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found toretain its distinctive characteristics throughout successivepropagations however the phenotype may vary significantly withvariations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. Toshow the phenotype as described ‘Everest Pink’ can be planted withoutassimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 50 andweek 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. Withassimilation lightning (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted yearround under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarsin comparison to ‘Everest Pink’ are ‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘EverestWhite’. When ‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘Everest White’ and ‘Everest Pink’ arebeing compared the following differences are noticed: The difference of‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘Everest White’ and ‘Everest Pink’ is the color ofthe ray-florets for which characteristic ‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘EverestWhite’ has been selected out of ‘Everest Pink’. The color of theray-florets of ‘Everest Pink’ is pale pink, the color of the ray-floretsof ‘Everest Salmon’ is salmon and the color of the ray-florets of‘Everest White’ is white. All other characteristics of ‘Everest Pink’,‘Everest Salmon’ and ‘Everest White’ are the same.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Everest Pink’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances.

CULTIVAR ‘Everest Pink’

Bud:

Size.—Small cross-section 0.9 cm, height 0.7 cm.

Outside color.—Purple 75 D.

Involucral bracts.—2 rows, length 7 mm., width 2 mm.

Involucral bracts among disc-florets.—Not present.

Involucral bracts color.—Green 138 B.

Bloom:

Type.—Daisy.

Height.—Flat 2 cm.

Size.—Medium.

Fully expanded.—6.5-7.0 cm.

Borne (number of blooms per branch).—Approx. 5 blooms per branch.

Length of lateral branch.—From top to bottom approx. 11.0 cm.

Lateral branch attachment.—Medium.

Branching.—Good with 5 breaks after pinching.

Performance on the plant.—5 weeks.

Seeds.—Not produced.

Fragrance.—Typical chrysanthemum.

Color:

Center of the flower (disc-florets).—Immature Yellow-green 145 A in thecenter and yellow 12 A at the border, mature yellow 12 A.

Color of upper surface of the majority of the ray-florets.—Purple 75 Bwith and a little white at the edge.

Color of the lower surface of the majority of the ray-florets.—Purple 75C.

Tonality from distance.—A pot mum with pale pink daisy flowers and ayellow-green disc.

Discoloration to color.—Purple 75 C.

Ray florets:

Texture.—Upper and under side smooth.

Number.—16-20 (1 row).

Cross-section.—Concave.

Longitudinal axis of majority. Reflexing.

Margin.—Entire.

Length of corolla tube.—Short.

Ray floret length.—2.6-2.8 cm.

Ray floret width.—0.8 cm.

Disc florets:

Disc diameter.—Small (1.2 cm).

Distribution of disc florets.—Numerous and clearly visible at all stagesof flower head development.

Type.—Tubular.

Color.—Yellow-green 144B.

Receptacle shape.—Conical raised.

Reproductive organs:

Stamen (present in disc florets only).—Yellow-green 144A, thin, 2 mm inlength.

Pollen.—None.

Styles (present in both ray and disc florets).—Yellow-green 144A, thin.

Style length.—4 mm.

Stigmas.—Yellow-green 144A.

Stigma width.—1 mm.

Ovaries.—Enclosed in calyx.

Plant:

Form.—A pot mum meant for indoor use.

Growth habit.—Upright.

Growth rate.—Moderate.

Height.—18.0-21.0 cm.

Width.—Medium, 20.0-22.0 cm.

Stem color.—Yellow-green 146 A.

Stem strength.—Strong.

Stem brittleness.—Present.

Stem anthocyanin coloration.—Present to greyed-red along the nodes.

Flowering response (photo-periodic controlled crop, no naturalgrowing).—48 days.

Foliage:

Color.—Upper side yellow-green 147 A under side green 146 A.

Size.—Medium, length 6.5 cm, width 5.0 cm.

Quantity (number per lateral branch).—6-7.

Shape.—Ovate.

Texture upper side.—Fleshy.

Texture under side.—Smooth.

Ribs and veins upper side.—Ribs and veins well developed.

Ribs and veins under side.—Ribs and veins well developed.

Venation arrangement.—Palmate.

Edge.—Crenated.

Shape of base of sinus between lateral lobes.—Round.

Margin of sinus between lateral lobes.—Converging.

Shape of base.—Cordate.

Apex.—Mucronate.

Age.—56 days.

TABLE 2 Differences with comparison varieties ‘Everest ‘Everest Pink’‘Everest Salmon’ White’ Color of the upper Purple 75 B Orange-Red 35 DWhite 155 D surface of the and yellow 10 B majority of the ray- at thebase florets Color of the lower Purple 75 C Greyed-Orange White 155 Dsurface of the 165 D majority of the ray- florets Discoloration to colorTo Purple 75 C To Red 36 C To White 155D

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant asdescribed and illustrated.